Helton hopes to return in '13

39-year-old has one year left on his Rockies' deal

DENVER -- The crutches are gone and so is the constant pain in his right hip. That has Rockies veteran first baseman Todd Helton feeling increasingly hopeful he can play in 2013.

"I think, physically, I will be able to come back," Helton said Tuesday. "So I plan on coming back, but there are a couple of things still on my mind. I want to know I have a good chance to make it through next year -- healthy. That will factor into it."

Also factoring into his decision is his view of the franchise's direction. The Rockies are on track for the worst record in team history and losing 100 games for the first time is a real possibility.

"There are a lot of factors that will play into my decision and that obviously is going to be one of them," said the five-time all-star and three-time Gold Glove winner.

Helton, 39, has one more year left on his contract, for $5 million. His age, the injury and his performance this season has left open the possibility this could be his last season. Helton struggled after injuring his hip in early June during a road trip to Arizona. He tried to play through the pain, but on Aug. 10 he underwent season-ending surgery to repair the torn labrum in his hip.

Helton is one of baseball's most accomplished hitters, carrying a career .320 average. But he hit a career-low .238 with just seven home runs and 37 RBIs in 69 games.

Though he still displayed skill scooping up balls around the first-base bag, the hip injury limited his range and mobility. Helton said he's confident he would perform better all around if he returns.

Advertisement

"I think I am better than that, but you don't know until you go out and do it," he said.

With Helton sidelined, the Rockies turned to Jordan Pacheco, Tyler Colvin and Michael Cuddyer to man first base. Cuddyer, however, has been out since Aug. 19 with a strained right oblique.

Helton understands his days playing 150 games, or even 120, are probably over. But if he comes back, he anticipates he would be more than a part-time player and a bat off the bench.

"I know if I am healthy, I am going to be better than I was (this season)," said. "I will have to have ample days off. I know that. If I come back, I expect to play as much as I can. How much? It's hard to tell."

Helton said he's feeling better than he has in months.

"I don't hurt standing here, and it doesn't hurt when I try to sleep," he said. "It was painful all the time when I got hurt, but it got worse at the end. I started feeling it during that series in Arizona. It wouldn't go away."

Helton chose to undergo surgery in early August so that he would be ready to participate in spring training in February. Although two bone spurs were removed, there was no sign of arthritis and no complications during surgery.

Helton said he's glad he made the decision to have surgery. "It went better than we had even hoped," he said.

Boulder is pretty good at producing rock bands, and by "rock," we mean the in-your-face, guitar-heavy, leather-clad variety — you know, the good kind. For a prime example, look no farther than BANDITS. Full Story